American artist Monica Kim Garza returns with her third solo exhibition, Good Old Raisins and Peanuts (GORP), at Ruttkowski;68 Gallery in Paris. The “character” central to Garza’s work—curved, free, claiming her space under the sun—appears this time in nature, climbing, walking, or resting. The title references the classic American hiker’s snack of raisins and peanuts, but in Garza’s world, “GORP” is more than a playful term; it’s a metaphor for a simple yet powerful life force. Her paintings oscillate between pastoral tranquility and everyday resilience.
Garza’s figures have evolved beyond mere “bodies,” transforming into circular, abstract forms: heads, hips, and breasts are suggested with just a few brushstrokes. This simplification preserves their essence while placing them on an equal plane with their environment. In nature, they seem to merge with the texture of mud, stone, or fabric, becoming part of the same material. Her canvases are not just narratives but geographies: thick layers of paint accumulate on the surface, evoking mountain slopes, weathered rocks, or the traces of time. Inspired by French painter Eugène Leroy, Garza’s dense, textural language sometimes takes a year to complete. Up close, you see not figures but a topography—a vibrant terrain shaped by paint and time.
Yarn, ribbon, and fabric scraps add an everyday touch to this world. Belts, shoelaces, or decorative details in clothing linger on the canvas like remnants of the past. Garza’s paintings are both surfaces embarked on their own adventure and visual diaries carrying rituals of bodily freedom.
Good Old Raisins and Peanuts is a space where the artist’s feminine energy meets nature. Here, the female body is not merely a represented form but a living element, equal to nature itself. Garza’s palette unites the sweat of the body, the warmth of stone, and the lightness of the breeze on a single surface.
📍 Ruttkowski;68 Gallery, Paris
🗓️ On view until November 1, 2025
🌐 ruttkowskigallery.com
💬 Apartment No:26 Note
Garza’s figures have long ceased to be merely human; they behave like elements—earth, stone, color, and breath. GORP is more than a hiking break; it’s a painting of a quiet pact with nature.
